Chapter 45: A nurse with a kind and beautiful face came. (｡☬０☬｡)
Leo stood up and squeezed Sarah’s lap...
A nurse with a kind and beautiful face came back into the examination room with a wheelchair and a stack of paperwork...
The decision to admit Sarah had already been made, and the hospital’s efficient systems took over... Sarah’s quiet murmurs were not considered; she was no longer just a person making choices, but a patient being processed according to procedures that are beneficial to her health...
She looked at Leo, her eyes wide with panic, as the nurse kindly but firmly insisted she sit in the wheelchair. "It’s hospital policy for new admissions with chronic illness, dear."
"But, I can walk," Sarah uttered, her voice small.
"I know you can," the nurse said gently. "But we’re going to be doing a lot of walking to get you settled, and we need to conserve your energy for the tests."
Leo stepped forward and knelt in front of her again so they were at eye level. "Hey, babe. It’s okay. It’s just for a little bit." He squeezed her hand, giving her a look that communicated he understood but that this was a necessary step...
Sarah gave in, sinking into the wheelchair, pouting. Her parents watched nearby the door, wringing their hands and fingers, their faces were pale...
As the nurse began to move the wheels carrying Sarah out of the examination room, Leo grabbed their bags and followed, her parents moving behind him...
The Walk to the cardiac ward was long... They passed other patients in the hallway, some in wheelchairs, others walking slowly with IV poles on them...
They passed other families with worried faces, and Leo felt a strange sense of disconnect, as if he were watching this happen to someone else. This wasn’t his life. This couldn’t be...
They were assigned a private room at the end of a long corridor. It was quiet, with a large window that overlooked a small courtyard... The room was filled with a complicated-looking hospital bed and several machines that would soon become familiar background noise to Sarah.